Dragonling
by Shelia13
Summary: Do dragons eat their young, like other kinds of animals? Or will they desperately protect what's important to them? Especially as another force attempts to rip everything that is their's away from their claws.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

I watched as two young dragon slayers played in their cribs for the first time being brought home to the castle. "You're going to have a life so much better than mommy's okay?" I whispered sitting on the floor leaning on one of the twins cribs as the door opened several steps brushing against the floor as they walked into the room. As I glanced up towards Ryos who was smiling down at me then turned to see if he could pick one of them up. "Wait, no." I said getting in front of him, startling him.

"Wait, what's the matter?" He asked highly confused as I felt heat rise to my face watching his disapproving look.

"W-w-well...I read that some animals eat their young...um, I don't, I don't know if dragons eat their dragonlings." I stuttered as a smile came to his face as puffs of laughter were escaping that he struggled to keep back.

"Come here" He laughed grabbing me into a hug as he reached for my ear. "Nom" He whispered teeth nicking my ear. "I'm going to protect you...nothing will happen. To any of us."

Those words would soon be hushed in the back of my mind as a loud bang echoing throughout the halls disturbing our desperately fought for peace. A dream from so long ago. I moved myself slowly out of bed attempting not to get dizzy as I walked towards the kitchen, grabbed a snack, and headed back. Artemis and Sting were probably running around breaking things once again. The castle was quiet there were no maids or anyone that had been hired here bustling around with their usual chatter, the castle had magically been shushed making it almost a magical place. I could hear my own steps making their mark in the carpet along our hallways.

I watched the guards while eating my snack. Each guard looked at me, bowed, and returned to their posts. The castle begun to shake as if explosions were echoing throughout its being. Murmurs in the castle had changed from ' _doesn't belong' , 'wrong class', 'disturbing Phantom spy'_ to "My lady!", "Queen?", and "Stay back it's dangerous here!" I glared at the guards whilst heading into my twins' room as the castle begun to shake.

I glanced down towards Riku who was standing in the middle of the room looking up at me wide-eyed with his giant red eyes that were brimming with innocence, they looked so much like Rogue's. "Where's your sister?" I asked Riku who looked towards the floor.

"Is it true?" Riku whispered as I looked down at him.

"Is what true?" I asked as Riku was looking up at me, biting his lip, sadly a trait that he had obtained from me.

"What the villagers say."

"And what do the villagers say?"

"That our side of the family is cursed...that-that the one's with the _demon-eyes_ are the only ones to ever live on this side of the castle...that-that gran-"

I felt my eyes go wide pulling him into my arms. "Shhh...its okay.." I whispered knowing that it wasn't the time for silence. That I should probably explain that the reason his grandmother had died was a terrible accident. I felt my shaking hands tighten around his shoulder trying to figure out a way to explain that his father wasn't a murderer, that his grandmother's tragic death had been a terrible accident, and that his powers would never be a curse but a way to protect someone. "Where did you hear such foolish nonsense?" I whispered wishing they were older before they heard such foolish nonsense.

"Sis asked the other children why the adults all pull away fr-from us." Riku sobbed as I nodded

"Look Mommy's here. Right here. Mommy doesn't have pretty ruby eyes like you two. And mommy's okay isn't she?" I smiled trying to reassure him instead he shook his head.

"No. Mommy gets sick a lot. A lot more than when she was younger...the villagers told me"

I bit my lip attempting to come up with a lie, to avoid telling them honestly that my powers were just raging out of control at the current moment in time. The only one who knew was Rogue while we attempted to find out what was truly wrong with me. I hadn't even brought myself to tell Totomaru or my dear cousin Artemis. I never got a chance to tell Riku that it was a lie as he sobbed trying to figure out what was wrong with him...simply because he was different.

"Get away from my son!" A voice shouted as I spun around thankfully throwing up a shield in time as a shadow echoed around the bright colors as Ryos' eyes went wide as he rushed to me catching my arms to steady me before I fell back to the floor. "I'm so sorry" He whispered as I nodded looking at Riku.

"Riku. Where's your sister?" I muttered as I felt Ryos' hands tighten around my arms, he knew something that I didn't.

"S-she s-said...that she was going out to the garden...b-because she w-wanted to cwear her head." Riku hiccuped as I nodded feeling Ryos slowly place me upon the floor.

"Regain your strength. I'll be right with you. And I'll be back with Rio." Ryos whispered as I nodded. Feeling a rushing of adrenaline echo throughout my being as I watched him pull out the sword that was mostly kept for show for the first time in his life. He had only recently re-equipped that thing with a different outfit that was a baby blue and contained coat tails, white leggings, and boots. Somehow he had managed to look okay in such an outfit. I pushed myself off the ground grabbing Riku as we hurried outside towards where they should've been-it all happened so fast-an ear piercing scream reaching my ears as I watched my cousin's husband suddenly look almost helpless as he reached for his wife...and missed.

I gasped staring towards the window, there was no way something this terrible could happen...not after all we had to do to fight for our freedom all over again. Why would anyone want to take my dear cousin away from me all over again? I stared as Ryos caught up to Sting hurrying out towards the woods as flashes of magic lit the night sky, a wailing screaming echoing throughout the air. "Mommy, Mommy, what's happening to Uncle Sting?" Riku murmured his little hands shaking as he attempted to grasp ahold of my dress with his little eyes staring out the window the capability of hearing better than I could.

"Oh honey...It'll be fine soon...they'll fix it." I whispered trying to stop my hands from shaking and fill my voice with confidence. I glanced towards one of the guards. "Totomaru is to read Riku a bedtime story till I get back. The dragon book third to the left." I stated as the guard's eyes went wide fully understanding as they scurried off to get Totomaru understanding the code I just spoke. I felt my feet burn into the carpet wedging themselves deeply until Totomaru's hair appeared as I nodded towards him, I felt my teeth grind understanding what had to be done now. We had to get my dear little cousin Artemis back. I walked towards the library digging my heels that I struggled to walk in till that very day deeply into the carpet my rage blooming to the surface of my eyes but never managing to leave. I pushed open the door to the library where the two dragon slayers were already gathered. I glanced at Ryos standing in front of Sting who was flipping out in the middle of his mother' library.

"He took one of my dragonlings he's going to pay." Rogue growled as I nodded sitting on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. There were a lot of people who were going to pay. A lot more than they had. And it wasn't money.

"What happened?" I asked, meaning that I would want the situation we were in, in detail as I glanced towards the garden again with the nagging feeling in the back of my mind as I took unwilling glances towards Rogue's arms. Neither of his arms held our precious daughter, the one that was supposed to be out in the garden, the place that Artemis had been kidnapped from.

"Go get some sleep" Ryos whispered as I shook my head, this wasn't time to be sleeping. This was a time to be sending all of the people out and looking for all of them everywhere that we could possibly get too.

"Where's my daughter?" I asked sternly as Ryo's arm tightened his muscles flexed as he looked up towards me with the beautiful red rubies that echoed all of the world's emotions at once. His hand tightening was all I needed to know. All of his emotions were written all over his face, his eyes deepening with a temptation of a plan forming within his head. I felt myself prying, I wanted to hear the words out loud. I wanted to hear _"oh, she's just in the garden, I have someone with her."_ even though I knew those weren't the words that I was going to get no matter what.

"They took her. They took her with Artemis and Peyton."

I took breath feeling it hitch knowing that was what happened. It still wasn't the answer I wanted. I wanted to pry harder. Force him to lie to me and search desperately around the castle for a daughter who wasn't there. I wanted to scream that it was his fault for not checking the garden even though I knew where she was, even if but moments before. How could he have known? I took a deep breath. "I believe in you. Bring our daughter back." I whispered as I glanced over to Sting, Ryos's eyes looking faded as he struggled with his first falling out with his "older brother". "Right now...he probably doesn't like us." I whispered as Ryos shook his head.

"We'll figure it out." Ryos said rubbing his hand threw my hair "Go check on Riku." He whispered as I nodded a reply standing up slowly as I exited the room watching as the two kings begun talking. I couldn't tell Ryos. I just couldn't tell him about the way the twins felt. Not yet. It wasn't fair...for the villagers of all people...for the villagers to tell them that their eyes were demon eyes. I pressed a hand to my chest biting my lip. Everything was going to be okay. It had to be. I walked further down the hallway still within the same corridor that Sting and Ryos were talking in it would've been a straight walk back to them.

"Someone get King Ryos!" A voice screamed as I felt the carpet pressed up against my face.

"Are the twins okay?" I glanced around feeling my eyelids become heavy as I struggled to stand my legs seeming three times the weight they were early that morning.

"Shit! The queen's collapsed!"

 **Rio** \- looked like Rogue

 **Riku** -Rogue's eyes but Celestine's hair


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Rogue blinked towards his older brother, "higher" king of the castle, who was frantically pacing back and forth struggling with how many plans were coming to his head. The raven haired king took a deep breath as he took a seat in one of the chairs a crossed from Sting. The dragon-king's mind raced back to the time that his father had explained to him the reasons why he didn't want Sting and Artemis together, the bricks of realization slamming down on him. Was Artemis's class the reason she had been taken from him?

No, that wouldn't make sense because they had also taken Peyton as well. He clenched his hands fists turning white and sure his teeth would break. "Sting would stop that before you punch something and break it." Rogue mumbled staring at the map on the ceiling.

"How are you so calm? You just lost Rio!" Sting shouted jumping up from his chair.

"I'm worried Sting alright, she's my little girl! I'm the one who's keeping a level head like I've always had two out of the two of us!" Sting flinched back slightly at this retort. It wasn't normal for Rogue to snap so easily like that. He was supposed to be the calm and collected one between the two. Holding in a frustrated sigh he looked towards the library door along with Rogue watching it sputter open. Celestine emerged, she made sure the door quietly shut behind her before she turned and walked her way over to the small circle of three chairs and a small coffee table on the left side of the library. Instead of heading for the third of the two unaccompanied chairs she headed towards Rogue sitting on his lap. Sting sat and looked away from both of them, his head resting in the palm of his hand. He didn't want to see any of the affection either of them were giving to each other to comfort their significant half. It would only hurt to look because he couldn't do such actions at the moment with his wife being taken.

"Did either of you see any of their faces?" Celestine asked breaking the unusual silence drifting between them.

"I couldn't see them; it was too dark." Rogue sighed and rubbed his forehead in frustration. Sting didn't answer as his eyes appearing dull and lifeless. Celestine had parted her lips to ask him a question but then decided against it. Growling Sting stood up from his chair, his eyes flicking over to Rogue and Celestine for only a few seconds but that was enough to set him off again. The sight of those two holding hands and Celestine gently comforting him with her hand. Turning away he left them to the small sitting area as he made his way to the window, small streaks of rain designing the glass as dark clouds circled in the night sky above now. He pressed his hand to the window and looked up. Thunder could faintly be heard as well but so far no lightning had struck down yet. A frown setting the blonde's lips, Sting couldn't help but to at least hope that nothing happened to that carriage until it got to its destination. From there the eldest king was going to find Artemis and Peyton, wherever they had been taken to.

"Artemis . . . . Peyton, daddy's coming, just keep mommy safe for now." Sting whispered to himself. Those were the proceedings of the early morning where three members of royalty did the best to get their rescue back together again. Celestine slipped in and out of the room two or three times without the others noticing, coming back once without Riku, and then staying silent as she sat on the arm of the chair near Rogue the rest of the time. She stood up slipping out of the room once again as the two kings begun talking. "Do you think it's okay to let her go like that?" Sting asked glancing towards Rogue whom shrugged.

"She's my wife. If she runs into problem we'll handle it." Rogue said picking up a cup as an excuse to turn away.

"What are you not telling me?" Sting asked he didn't have time for this, not now, no secrets. There was a silence as the two waited for any news to occur to them as a guard walked in causing Sting's eyes to flick towards his reflection in the window as he waited for the guard to begin yelling about how he finally discovered the secret base along with the other search parties that were going out hunting in the city. The guard turned to Rogue and began whispering in his ear where Rogue's leg twitched. The one that twitched when something; that look that he gave when he wanted to jump up and run out of the room.

"What was that?" Sting growled looking towards his brother who didn't reply instead fleeing the room. The man ran out faster than the shadow-teleportation ability that he was working on. Sting stood up feeling his face form a confused fashion. What was this night?

In the hallway Rogue was holding his wife, Celestine. "I-I-I'm o-okay" She stuttered as her shaking hands were gripping tightly onto Rogue's shirt who was shaking his head at her.

"You can't say that you're okay like that." Rogue sighed as Celestine shook her head obviously trying to deny whatever Rogue was telling her about.

"I said I'm okay...I was just tired." Rogue's hand grasped the woman's.

"You can't even hold onto my shirt that grip your using with my shirt is slipping steadily."

"What's going on?"

Red eyes flashed towards him, "it's none of your business Sting." The younger king growled moving the elder out of his way as he headed back to his own room. The shadow king scooped up his wife beginning to edge towards their room.

"Tell me!" Sting said reaching out to grab his brother's arm barely missing as Rogue turned his eyes were glowing a fierce red as he whipped himself back to Sting.

"Don't dare touch her." Rogue growled his hair flowing up from the magic circulating around him. Sting felt his feet retreat unsure if they wanted to completely retreat or emerge into an instinctive defensive position.

Rogue definitely wasn't himself. "Rogue, what's going on? Calm down." Sting attempted his voice sounding feeble and weak as the confusion within the castle arose higher.

"Is she sick?...Was she using her magic? What happened?" Sting asked waiting for the answer that someone was in the hallway having returned to finish the job.

Celestine's voice stuttered as she pulled on Rogue's shirt repeatedly as if she didn't have his attention to begin with. "What is it darling?" He smiled softly towards her waiting for what she was going to say.

"Is that King Melticana?" Her voice questioned eyes becoming squinty as she stared at Sting causing Rogue to suppress a faint smile.

"No. No dear that's Sting he's standing there."

"Are he and Artemis going to get married soon?" Celestine asked staring at Rogue who sighed.

"They were making plans." He whispered as she nodded again.

"Rogue, we need to talk. About a lot of things." Sting attempted reaching towards them again as Rogue gave him his shoulder.

"How did it get this way? Why she was still on the ground when I came out here?"

"I instructed everyone in the castle not to touch her if she's lying on the floor. If someone without magic touches her she might kill them without meaning too." Rogue growled.

Sting's nose twitched, "what is that supposed to mean? You look perfectly fine, how am I supposed to believe that?"

"Totomaru found her once, lying in the hall just like this."

"Shouldn't I have known if anything had happened to him?"

"You did, but he told you it was an accident with his magic." More silence passed through the halls as the brother's stared at each other. "I've got to get her to our room." Rogue said his voice suddenly coming out as if he was panting, sweat appearing on his brow.

Sting found his eyes wander up towards Rogue, his "little brother" as he had been for the longest of times, struggling to even stand as he fought off Celestine's deadly uncontrollable absorption magic.

A door slid open as a small child came out holding onto a little stuffed dragon by one of its front paws, a present from Totomaru that Riku simply could not let go of, as he walked into the hallways. Rogue cursed turning to go the other way as Sting put a hand on his shoulder.

"They don't know?"

"No one knows exactly what's going on. Just don't let him see us."

A shriek came from the child, "Mommy? Mommy?" Riku shouted running up towards Rogue who mentally cursed wishing his only son would head back to bed quietly. "What happened, what happened to mommy? Did the bad guys come back?" Riku whispered his voice shaking as he stared up towards them as Rogue shook his head.

"Nothing's happened-"

The child looked at him betrayal echoing off the lone twin's face, "don't lie to me! The villagers told me! They told Rio!" He was screeching "they say it's our fault that mom is always sick!" Riku had tears on the edges of his eyes as he looked up towards the two older males watching him. The child was quietly observing them tears on the traces of his eyelids as a whisper of realization hit the air, "where's Rio?" Suddenly Riku was in the middle of a full blown on panic as he searched for his twin sister causing the elder king to take in a breath. He needed to calm the third child before he ran off and went missing.

"Who told you such nonsense?" Sting asked leaning down towards his nephew.

"The people from the villages that Mommy visits sometimes. They're always looking at us funny. So, Rio got mad when one of them went to say something mean to Mommy and asked what their problem was." Riku stuttered, sobbed, and hiccupped as he feebly demanded an explanation from the older family members. "And they told us-*hicup*-that they didn't want demon-eyed children within their village." Riku said as Rogue pulled unconscious Celestine closer.

"-Is this our curse demon-eyes?" Riku asked with tears forming on the rims of his eyelids.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The room and windows heavily surrounded by guards to make sure no one would get in to harm the prince who was curious of where his twin sister that hadn't ever left his side wandered off to. Celestine whispered staring at Rogue who had his arm surrounding her head. "I can't reach them." She whispered tears occurring in her eyes. Rogue sweet nothings to sooth his recently awoken wife.

"Why...does it always turn out this way?" She whispered leaning against the pillow her eyes looked like heavy things. Her voice sounded so weak, fragile as she stared up towards Rogue. He brushed her hair out of her eyes. Another sweet whisper bubbled in his chest.

There was a feeling that echoed inside his chest, both familiar and different from its previous habit. He had the possibility to make a mistake that was similar to the one with his mother.

"I'll find her. We'll be right back, I've instructed Totomaru that you aren't feeling well he's to stay with you until you get back."

"But he's worse than a doting granny."

"Minerva then?"

"No. She can't know. She's still trying to find where she feels she belongs..we can't do that to her"

"Granny-Toto it is then." Celestine scoffed against Rogue's joke as he leaned down kissing her forehead, an action he had picked up when they were teens, before heading out.

Rogue shut the door behind him his eyes fires that could challenges the pits of hell. His brother lingered outside the door, with such a look didn't need to be explained. It was easy to tell what was blazing in their chest caverns. "We're going on a hunt. A hunt that will only end with the ripping out of some throats." Rogue growled.

Sting punched his hands together in reply, "wouldn't have it any other way." Sting smiled, his original nature vanished, that smile was replaced with something grotesque.

"Are we at war?" Sting asked as Rogue's eyes flashed towards Sting.

"We aren't starting a war." There was a pause as Rogue pushed open the front castle door heading out into the night wind blowing his hair around violently. "We're going to make a massacre" The growl edged its way out from his throat.

"About time. They have a crime that will in the lightest of punishments bring them to their knees upon mention." Sting growled his powers almost flowing out of him as he cracked his knuckles.

They cracked the gate open where several guards stood, Totomaru leading the pack in the darkness, another group of guards changing their shift. They were short staffed tonight as the other soldiers ran amok in the woods looking for their Queen and princess, and waiting their king. Hushed whispers radiated at the gate. "Are you sure?" Totomaru met them at the gate, getting off of his horse as Totomaru stroked the black stallion's face. Rogue nodded receiving a disappointed look from Totomaru. "Rogue. You're exhausted."

"Are you going to stop me?"

"Don't rush. I know that look of malice, too well."

"I thank you for your advice, please go to Celestine's side."

"She's ill again?" There was a silence.

"Yes."

"I understand the drill, no guards get in or out no one gets to see her."

"Yes."

"Hurry up and find your daughter."

" _Yes"_

The last final growl wasn't the stiff yes-es of indecision. But instead that last growl.

Was something fierce. And malicious.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Rogue was desperately searching for a reason all of this was happening. Rogue blinked back memories that were doing their best to resurface from his childhood. "I heard Weisslogia and Skiadrum didn't actually get married!" A voice from a past ball from his childhood was echoing.

"Of course, no one would ever marry that woman!"

"Then whose child is the princes?" The voices of the villagers echoed in hushed whispers without the comprehending that each member of the royal family would inherit the dragon blood of their ancestors. They were natural born dragon slayers. His mother was still around those days. He was young. She was still there. Right there, a brush of fingertips away. Something that he had stolen away, far away from _himself_. She was his mother standing there far away enjoying the party as Weisslogia stole his mother for a dance making the "White Queen", Sting's mother, pretend at jealousy but instead struggling to cover up her laughter.

Another woman whispered as he looked at their quick distasteful glances towards himself. Their faces blurry, but still there, full of malice...full of fear. Something a normal human child wouldn't have picked up on, or at least had more sense not to say a thing. Instead he had gone up to these women and asked them what they meant when they said things like "Demon-child" and their talk of "hateful red eyes", for the first time he had experienced their cruelty as they flung their drinks away from them high pitched startled shrieks as he looked up at them with the innocence of a child. "You're the reason your mother gets sick all the time! You only bring illness!" One of them hissed at him as he felt repelled glancing around for help as a younger child would, his eyes meeting his mother's happy and giddy. Embraced tightly by her best friend one of the men that had been there for him his whole life, King Weisslogia. _Where was his father?_

Rogue shook his himself out of his delusions, his heart pounding the way it once did. He was feeling what he wished he would never feel again. He had to find Rio. There was no time to wonder about who those blank faces were, or if his mother had his red eyes...were they just always painted brown in the pictures for her safety? Is that the way they hid her? He felt unsure, something about his memories seemed untrustworthy. Rio and Riku were going through something that he was trying his hardest to prevent. Why did everyone do this to his family? Why was Sting's family blessed with ocean eyes?

Rogue blinked back the memory of one of the first interactions with Celestine after they had met again. Celestine stared at his eyes openly the first time they met. As if they weren't something that PhantomLord members didn't get to see often. They were probably something she hated at first eyes that were stained the color of a used guillotine. She sould've hated it at first, that was the same thing that had taken her only female-friend from PhantomLord away. It made him want to clench his teeth even Celestine had to hate them at one point, no matter how much she reached over running her hand along his face saying that they looked like the most precious rubies. He was sure she had a point where they even scared her as she waited for bloodlust to arise within them.

After several hours of frantically searching through the woods they had returned to the castle, empty handed. Rogue felt his feet place themselves behind Sting who was glancing at him. Hope fading in his eyes as he was waiting on some good news. Instead they were interrupted by Totomaru running down all of the stairs blabbering like a fool at the current moment in time. An exhausted fool. Sting snatched a note from Totomaru before Rogue could even reach Celestine's personal advisor. Reading the note aloud. It made his insides boil as he listened to each word that Sting made a growl tracing on the edges of his throat.

" _Thanks for lending us your wife and daughter, the little raven haired one seemed to be our bonus. We would say sorry to say you won't see them again though, the truth is we aren't sorry." ~PhantomLord FaceHunters_

The growl within his throat couldn't be suppressed it bubbled its way to the top and escaped, it sounded deadly and venomous as he stared at the note resting in Sting's shaking hand. His daughter was not anyone's bonus. Not at all. He was going to slaughter everyone strangle them slowly than rip out of their ever so- "Rogue! Control the malice!" Totomaru shouted running towards one of the people who quickly had grown important to him.

"What else can I do! I don't even know where they are right now!" Rogue shouted back.

"You need to calm down and control your magic! You severely need a medic." Totomaru said glancing him over once again.

"What do you mean that I need a medic?" Rogue growled his foot slipping from under him as the blonde brother caught him.

"Bull, you don't need a medic with magic insufficiency" Sting said helping his brother inside the castle they didn't have time for simple little matters like this. He didn't have time for everyone in the castle to all fall mysteriously ill.

"Celestine's sick isn't she?" Sting whispered as Rogue nodded slowly, obviously not a detail he was going to go around flaunting, _especially_ if that met his twins would be told that they were the reason that their mother was always sick simply because of their "demon-eyes" as the town called them.

"She said make sure not to tell the town." Rogue explained as Sting nodded slowly.

"She...no..I..I don't want to hear those things...I d-don't want to hear that it's the twins' fault for having cursed eyes." Rogue paused for a moment as Sting limped inside under Rogue's weight. Sting gave him a hurt look in his eyes that he didn't quite understand. It was as if at this age he was still pretending not to be able to hear the villagers and their gossip.

One of the medics shrieked, "magic deficiency!" causing several of the others doing non-relevant tasks to rush over.

"How'd that happen?" Rogue stuttered.

"Celestine collapsed earlier is this related?"

"It's just fatigued. I'll be able to stand in a couple seconds, it's not that hard on me."

"Look at you" Sting ran a hand through his hair attempting to make a list of problems that were complaining that night.

"I've been running around in the forest all night I don't expect to look any better than a magic drained patient!"

There was silence as Sting thought this concept over. "It's a terrible situation listen to our nurses" Sting grumbled bringing his brother up the stairs as Totomaru grabbed the other arm.

"...I d-don't w-want that stuff-" Rogue coughed out.

Sting shook at his head, glancing at his brother struggling to suffer through all of the pain, "you aren't turning into some sort of masochist on me are you?"

"Don't...the workers will see-I can't have it getting out that...that it's another curse because of the twins' eyes." Rogue growled struggling in-between his coughing fits.

Sting suppressed a growl that was rumbling in his throat. "Totomaru, fetch us the pills...we'll stay outside." Totomaru nodded, hurried inside, and returned quickly.

"I heard we were under attack, what's happening?" A voice asked from behind them. She was supposed to be out. Far away. On a vacation of sorts. Sting turned to see Minerva who had gone wide-eyed looking at the younger prince. _No._ This gossip wasn't going to stay in the castle for long. Minerva will worriedly tell Yukino, than Yukino would tell MiraJane of Fairy-Tail...and heck from there...they were all screwed once she got a hold of that information.

"Minerva. Forget this happened." She crossed her arms waiting silently. " _Please."_

"How many others are suffering from this and what is it?" She asked pointing over towards Rogue obviously not understanding the situation. She must've thought that whoever had broken in had left this disease behind instead of what really happened.

"Don't touch anyone who looks like they've come down with it!" Sting shouted as Minerva nodded sent a strange glance that must've been " _why are you touching him then?"_ and then headed inside.

"Here." Totomaru glanced between the cup and Rogue, a light hue lighting his face. "I'm not going to have to help you with this am I?" He asked as Rogue attempted to stand up.

"I am a full grown man I shall not be treated like a child."

"Right now you are being childish, especially if you don't drink your medicine."

"Then what?"

Sting lit up a hue as if he hadn't thought of something. "I'll send you to your room or something!"

"Give me the cup." Rogue reached for it his hand shaking...Totomaru wound up having to help him with the cup anyway.

"If I ever have to do that again you're getting a sippy cup."

"God, it's not like I asked to be help." Rogue said as Sting lowered him to the ground, his breathing was heavy.

"You look worse than a sick man...maybe you should stay here."

"I've got to find Rio."

"I've got to find Artemis and Peyton too. She'll be with them. Trust your older brother."

"Its different being able to do something yourself." Rogue said after a large coughing fit. "They're important to me...I want-*cough*-to be able to help them." Rogue coughed out as Totomaru gave him a disapproving look pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket.

"In that condition you won't be able to do anything much less save them. Finish the medicine and then talk." Totomaru advised as Rogue shook his head, already sneaking out to find his daughter. Totomaru grabbed his shoulder, "Who's going to take such a man seriously when he can't even stand? You'll only freak Rio out if you show up." Totomaru complained as Rogue nodded steadying his breath leaning against the wall on the stairs.

"I shall call PhantomLord." Totomaru said as Rogue nodded. It was best to dig up some background information on who these people were and how dangerous they were.

"What are you going to do?" Rogue asked turning towards his brother.

"What do you think? I'm obviously going to walk around my fair city and get some coffee"

Sarcasm. A light attempt at some failed satire. Rogue sighed towards his brother whose eyes flashed back towards the forest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Rogue quickly disembarked from the carriage his plan already beginning to stimulate to look for reinforcements. He needed Gajeel's help. The guards unsteadily shifted their feet as if trying to control their malice and bloodlust from over 6 years ago. The old PhantomLord was something that was old and decrepit. King Melticana had gone, and was still, missing during Gajeel's childhood so during that time it was agreed that the castle advisor would have to step in before Gajeel was even old enough to know the difference between right and wrong. Then everything had gone terribly wrong. PhantomLord's once happy kingdom rapidly changed into a kingdom known for bloodlust which would kill even its own citizens if they disagreed with the ruler Jose's desires.

Rogue hugged, His daughter. A bonus. Their mockery was something that was going to cause them to meet the end of their fates. Right now he was fully prepared to get his hands dirty and stained the way he had on the day he had oh so many years ago when he released a siege upon PhantomLord. It often the walls of PhantomLord's castle would be soaked in blood on such nights. He had made sure that the stains on the wall were of PhantomLord's army only that night. A growl of pure bliss almost erupted from his throat as he attempted to conceal the thoughts of malice and bloodlust that were positively echoing within himself.

"I need to speak to Gajeel" his voice coming out smooth and silky, the opposite of the bloodlust raging in his own beating vessel. The guard nodded leading him inside. Where the Metal Dragon-Slayer king was sitting at his throne apparently in deep conversation with his newly dubbed Queen Levy.

"Sir! Someone has come to speak with you!" The guard announced hurrying out of the room before Gajeel could demand who was important enough to interrupt his personal time with his queen without an arranged request. Grinding his teeth Rogue moved himself to the position that a person would normally bow within this castle. Being met with immediate laughter from Gajeel. "Get up Ryos."

Gajeel's smile feel, "why do you smell like that?" As another member of royalty he had inherited dragonblood, the only thing Gajeel could possibly be talking about would be the bloodlust radiating off of him. Rogue opened his mouth to speak, Queen Levy looking innocently towards him waiting to honestly listen to his plead, his voice lost. "Ryos?" Gajeel questioned hesitantly.

"They..."

"Ryos? Are you okay man?"

"They took my daughter."

There was silence in the castle hall as Gajeel stared wide-eyed down towards where Rogue was standing.

"Who did Ryos?" Gajeel's voice came in a low rumbling growl that reverberated around the castle's throne room.

" _The PhantomLord FaceHunters"_ Rogue growled as Gajeel's eyes went wide.

"They haven't been active in years" Gajeel growled beckoning a guard, the one who retrieves the mail, closer.

"...Do you know their motive?" Gajeel growled as Rogue felt a bubble of disappointment rise within his own chest. The _Shadow_ king responded with a shake of his head, Gajeel took a swift glance towards Levy. "I need you to stay with a guard at all times right now." He whispered as she puffed her cheeks.

The petite woman squeaked, "I can handle it!", glancing away as Gajeel's arm became tighter around her.

"I'm not taking any chances, okay? Not with our child." Gajeel whispered back to her as she, reluctantly, nodded.

"There was a note." Rogue explained as Gajeel glanced back towards him as Rogue unsteadily unfolded the note.

"I was hoping you could identify this smell. The one on the paper." Rogue said as Gajeel nodded taking the note.

"No promises you know that." Gajeel explained as Rogue nodded.

"Just...the tiniest little thing. I need to find _them."_ Rogue whispered drawing the king's attention once again. He had picked up on that change in detail.

"Them?" He asked as Rogue nodded attempting not to look away.

"They didn't just take Rio...they took Artemis and her daughter." Gajeel raised his eyebrow staring at Rogue.

"Okay...we've got possible motives and intentions." Gajeel sighed rubbing his "eyebrows" as they attempted to discover why anyone would want to kidnap the people in question. Levy headed out of the room with a quick word of returning.

"Gajeel..." Rogue whispered feeling the words choke not being able to form themselves. Words he was struggling to speak to the man that had identified himself as his elder brother even though he was more of an adopted child in this castle.

"I know." Gajeel whispered patting him on the back. "I've always taken care of my little brother haven't I?" Gajeel attempted smiling as Rogue stood up swinging around following pace of where Gajeel was heading. "These people...they smell like the castle in the " _ **old**_ " days of this kingdom." Gajeel explained as Rogue nodded.

"...What if...what if they take her eyes?" Rogue whispered staring at the floor. For now Rio thought her eyes were some form of curse that made her mother ill...but her eyes...they were honestly something that was sold on the black market. Targeting people with the unnatural eye color. And then it was also his fault. That she was a princess her eyes would be priced twice as high. Surely...surely, they wouldn't let her keep them. The thoughts made Rogue grind his teeth as he attempted to suppress a growl so the king of PhantomLord wouldn't hear it. An incident with such similarities, and possible motive for their eyes, hadn't happened in years.

"We're going to need a search party...also the one piece of vital information we're forgetting..." Gajeel paused as Rogue nodded. "There's another dangerous criminal on the loose.


End file.
